Definition of Deferred Imitation

Deferred imitation refers to the ability of an individual, typically a young child, to observe and remember someone’s actions and then replicate those actions at a later time. It involves the mental representation and retrieval of observed behaviors in order to imitate them when the opportunity arises.

Key Points:

• Observation: Deferred imitation begins with the act of observing others, typically adults or older children, engaging in various actions or behaviors.
• Memory: The observed actions are stored in the child’s memory, forming a mental representation of the behavior.
• Delay: Deferred imitation requires a time delay between the initial observation and the replication of the behavior.
• Imitation: When the child encounters a situation similar to what they observed earlier, they retrieve the stored memory and imitate the observed behavior.
• Social Learning: Deferred imitation is an important mechanism for social learning, allowing children to acquire new skills and behaviors by observing and imitating others.

Examples:

Examples of deferred imitation include a child watching an adult stack blocks in a particular manner and then replicating the same stacking pattern later, or a child observing a sibling brushing their teeth and subsequently imitating the toothbrushing routine at a different time.